


Until the End

by RoseBergman



Category: Glee
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-19
Updated: 2013-03-18
Packaged: 2017-12-05 18:49:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/726676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseBergman/pseuds/RoseBergman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blaine was always willing to do anything for his best friend Kurt. When the consequences of a deal Kurt's father made when he was a child come back to haunt him Blaine will realize just how far he's willing to go for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Major thanks to Justine. She’s, like, the only reason I was able to even finish this fic and deserves major thanks for helping me with this fic (especially the second part) and making it all coherent and fairy tale-y and everything. <3 <3 <3

Once upon a time there lived a king who ruled his people with kindness and fairness. The king loved his people very much but more than them he loved his wife, for whom he would do anything. The king and queen ruled for several years before the queen gave birth to their son Kurt, a pale baby with glittering eyes and soft hazelnut-colored hair. Sadly, the queen passed away shortly after giving birth and the king was left alone to raise their son and mourn his beloved wife.  
The little boy became the center of the king’s life. He would do anything for the child and made sure he had everything he could ever need or want. As the boy grew he began to show the same gentle kindness his mother has shown toward the world and he developed a friendship with a little boy named Blaine who lived in the servants’ quarters of the castle. Blaine’s mother was a scullery maid and his father was a knight in the king’s guard. He and Kurt would spend hours running around the castle grounds and pretending to be knights on grand adventures, saving the kingdom and those they loved from fierce dragons and dastardly villains. Blaine was very good at weaving tales for them to act out with tremendous backstories for every adventure they had.

One day Blaine was waiting out in the garden for his usual play date with Kurt when he didn’t show. It was unlike him to just not show up without sending out someone with an explanation so Blaine set off into the castle in search of him. 

He arrived at Kurt’s bedchamber to find people flurrying about anxiously, rushing in and out of his room and speaking in hush tones.

“Blaine!” Blaine turned to find his mother rushing toward him, a bowl of chilled soup in her hand, “What are you doing here? You should be playing outside. You’ll get in the way here.”

“But I want to play with Kurt.”

“The prince is very sick. You need to stay away so he can rest and so he won’t pass it on to you.” 

She shooed him outside and he spent the rest of the day morosely wandering the grounds, planning what he and Kurt would do once he got better.

* * *

However, the prince didn’t get better. His condition worsened as the days went by and he grew weaker, eating less and less. The king desperately sent out his knights to find someone who could help him. Nearly every one that returned had found nothing.

After nearly a week of the illness Blaine managed to sneak into Kurt’s bedchamber. Kurt was asleep so he quietly crept across the room, sitting in the chair beside his bed and decided to just wait until he woke up. He gingerly took Kurt’s hand in his own and was surprised at how frail it felt. His eyes slowly opened and he blinked at Blaine before smiling as he recognized who it was.

“I’m sorry for missing our play date,” he said weakly, his voice scratchy from his dry throat. Blaine didn’t like how fragile he looked.

“It’s fine. I just spent some time with Rachel, helping her plan her shows.” Rachel was the child of another servant. She often joined the two in their adventures, opting for the role of the dramatic damsel in distress for the boys to rescue. (Although sometimes she would “stretch her acting muscles” and act as the villainous witch who caused the boys trouble.) “I like our adventures more, though.”

Kurt nodded and closed his eyes.

“Are you going to sleep? Do you want me to leave?”

His eyes snapped back open.

“No, don’t leave. I’m just really tired.” They sat in silence for a moment. “Will you tell me a story?”

“Sure.” Blaine climbed up onto the bed so he wouldn’t have to speak so loudly and Kurt nestled into his side, shutting his eyes again.

Blaine spoke for what felt like hours as he told Kurt every story he knew and even made up a few on the spot. He knew Kurt hadn’t fallen asleep by the slight changes to his expression so he kept talking. The sun was starting to set and Kurt had finally fallen asleep when the door burst open and the king entered followed by two knights and a woman Blaine had never seen before. She gave Blaine an appraising look and he shivered slightly, not liking her gaze.

“Blaine, would you please go play outside?” the king asked and Blaine immediately hopped off the bed. When the king gives you a request, you fill it. His fingers were still linked with Kurt’s, though, and he fall back into the bed. He disentangled their fingers before laying a soft kiss against Kurt’s forehead and scurrying out of the room with a mumbled apology for taking so long.

Blaine hung outside the room, trying to eavesdrop on what was going on but he couldn’t make out a sound from behind the oak door. He eventually grew bored with waiting and was hungry, having skipped lunch so he headed down to the kitchens to see what his mother was up to.

* * *

Shortly after that Kurt started to get better. He got his appetite back and his strength began returning. Blaine was allowed in his room and the boys would stay up late into the night talking and playing with the toys Blaine would bring to Kurt in the bed. It wasn’t long before Kurt was healthy and able to return to his normal life of playing in the gardens with Blaine and soon the days of Kurt’s illness were far gone with Blaine wondering what everyone had been so worried about in the first place. They never noticed the worried looks the servants would sometimes shoot them.

The boys’ friendship strengthened as they grew, even as they began to settle more into their roles. Kurt began his schooling for taking over ruling the kingdom and Blaine was given more chores that he often procrastinated on in lieu of practicing for knighthood like his father. 

One day Blaine was practicing his sword fighting techniques in the stable when Kurt approached him. He didn’t notice Kurt’s presence at first and continued his practiced jabs.

“You’re doing that wrong,” Kurt said and Blaine started, dropping his sword. Kurt smiled and walked over, picking the sword up, “See? If you had been doing it like this--” He demonstrated the proper form. “You wouldn’t have dropped it.”

“Well,” Blaine snatched the sword out of Kurt’s hand and smiled, “Maybe I wouldn’t have dropped it if someone hadn’t surprised me.”

“There are many surprises on the battlefield, Blaine. You can’t go dropping your sword at every one of them.” 

The air grew serious as it did every time Kurt brought up Blaine’s impending knighthood. He could tell Kurt didn’t like it, he would rather Blaine become a servant in the castle like his mother, but he never outright said anything. He knew it was Blaine’s dream and he didn’t want to be the one to screw that up.

“Come for a walk with me,” he said, brightening slightly and he grabbed Blaine’s hand, interlocking their arms as they headed down the path toward the woods.

There was a sunny spot in the back of the woods and up a hill that overlooked a beautiful valley of wildflowers. When the sun set it painted the valley in fiery colors, making the flowers more beautiful than they had already been. Kurt and Blaine had found the place when they were about ten years old and loved to trek up to the spot to relax and talk. Sometimes they would snatch food from the kitchens and have a picnic. 

They sat down, leaning back against the large rock and stared out at the valley.

“So, I hear your birthday’s coming up,” Blaine said conversationally and Kurt tried to look uninterested.

“Oh? Yeah, I suppose it is…Any idea what you’re getting me?”

“Nice try.”

“Please?” He leaned closer to Blaine and gave him a pleading look.

“No.”

“Not even a little hint?” He rested his head on Blaine’s shoulder and looked up at him with doe eyes.

“Nope. But you’re going to love it.”

“But what if I won’t and then you’ll have wasted all that effort. If you give me a hint then I can let you know.”

“Have I ever given you a gift that you didn’t love?”

That stopped him.

“Fine!” Kurt huffed and sat back up straight. “I guess I’ll just have to wait until Saturday.”

“Yes, you will.”

Kurt stuck his tongue out at him.

They sat in silence again, enjoying the sunbeams on their skin. 

“The council say it’s time for me to start thinking about marriage.”

Blaine’s eyes shot open at the abrupt change in tone of the afternoon.

“Oh. Really?”

“Yes. They, actually, wanted me to start thinking of it last year before my seventeenth birthday but Father shooed them away and forbade them from speaking of it any longer.”

“That young?”

“Well, I’m only getting older. I have to marry eventually, I suppose.” He began absent-mindedly playing with a flower growing in the grass.

“Oh.” More silence. “Have--Have you any considerations for who it might be?”

“Well…It has to be someone who wants me back. I would hate to be stuck in a marriage with someone who can’t stand me.” He plucked the flower from the grass and began spinning it between his fingers.

“I find it hard to believe someone wouldn’t be able to stand you.”

Kurt smiled but still didn’t look up from the flower.

“What about Rachel? She seems nice.”

Kurt shrugged.

“She would make a fairly good queen. Or Tina from the kitchens. She’s very fair.”

“I think she likes that stable boy Michael.”

“I knew it! She’s always bringing him out water when we‘re working together because ‘It‘s just so hot, I don‘t want you to get sick.’ but then she never brings any for me and it gives her a perfect excuse to return with more.”

Kurt smiled up at him and they giggled at the gossip.

“There’s that Chandler guy.” Blaine tried to sound as uninterested as possible despite this being the subject he was most worried about. “He seems nice and his family’s good friends with yours.”

“Yeah. He is nice. I can’t see us having a future together, though.”

Blaine tried not to smile.

“No ideas, then?”

“I…have some idea.”

Kurt reached up and placed the flower behind Blaine’s ear, letting his palm fall to rest against his cheek. They stared at each other for several long seconds before Kurt leaned in and kissed him. Blaine smiled into the kiss and brought his hand up to rest on Kurt’s hip. They broke apart after what could’ve been days and worked to catch their breath while shyly avoiding each others’ eyes.

“I take it you would consider me as well, then?” Kurt asked coyly once he got his breath back and Blaine smiled before diving in for another kiss.

* * *

Kurt couldn’t wait to tell his father the news. Of course, there had to be a more formal procedure done but Kurt liked the spontaneity of a private romantic moment much better for a declaration of love. Who wanted to express love for someone for the first time in front of a council with legal papers?

“Kurt, there you are.” Blaine’s mother was rushing toward them as they entered the castle. “Your father’s looking for you. He’s up in his study. Blaine, don’t you have chores to be doing?”

Blaine and Kurt averted each other’s eyes and tried their hardest not to break out in another fit of giggles.

“Sorry, Mom. Uh…I guess I’ll talk to you later, Kurt.”

“Yeah. Talk. Later.” 

Blaine rushed off before their erratic behavior could tip his mother off. Kurt got distracted watching him go.

“Kurt. Your father.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.”

* * *

Kurt entered his father’s study to find him speaking with Wes, one of the head councilmen. They fell silent as Kurt walked over to sit down in the chair across from his father. The tension in the room sobered Kurt considerably.

“Kurt, there is something we need to discuss with you,” Wes said.

“Did I do something wrong?…Is this about the marriage thing because--”

“It’s not about the marriage thing,” his father said and he shot an angry look at Wes who looked unapologetic, “It’s about your birthday.”

“Ok.”

“Kurt…You might not remember this but when you were little you got very sick.”

“I remember that. I couldn’t go outside for weeks and you wouldn’t let anyone see me. Blaine had to sneak in just to save me from going crazy with boredom.”

“Kurt, that illness should have killed you,” Wes said, “There hasn’t been a victim of it yet that has managed to survive.”

“Ok…But I did…”

“I was very desperate,” his father continued, “You were just so small, laying there all helpless and there was nothing I could do about it so I made a deal with a witch.”

“You made a deal with a witch?” Kurt didn’t like the sound of that. “What did you say?”

“I promised her anything she desired if she could make you better. And she made you better.”

“…What did you promise her?”

His father avoided looking at him, staring intensely out the window instead.

“Father. What did you promise her?”

“You. I promised her that on your eighteenth birthday you would be hers.”

Kurt stared in stunned silence.

“I didn’t know what else to do. She wouldn’t accept anything else.”

“And you thought I shouldn’t have known this before now? So, all my plans I had made, everything I’ve been preparing for my whole life has just been for nothing?”

Suddenly the council pushing marriage the year earlier made more sense. They had to get an heir before Kurt’s time was up.

“I thought I was going to lose you.”

“And now you’re definitely going to lose me!” Kurt stood up in anger and glared at his father and Wes.

“Kurt, we’re going to do everything we can to--”

“To what? To stop it? You made a deal with a witch, Father! It’s not like it’s just some promise to some random person on the street! It’s hardly something you can get away with breaking!”

“We at least have to try.”

Kurt couldn’t bring himself to speak anymore. He didn’t want to be in this room anymore, in this castle anymore. He turned around and stormed out, ignoring his father's pleas behind him as he ran.

* * *

“Your father’s looking for you.”

Kurt knew Blaine would find him. It was why he had run here. Blaine was the only one he’d be willing to see.

“I figured.” Kurt sat with his arms wrapped around his legs as he stared out dejectedly at the valley.

“What happened?”

Kurt explained everything his father had told him and tried his hardest not to cry.

“What am I going to do?”

Blaine remembered the day he had been shooed out of Kurt’s room by the king and the strange woman. Could he have stopped this if he had done something? He knew the thought was silly, how was he supposed to have known? But even if he had stopped it, would Kurt have just died? He didn’t like that either.

“I don’t know. I don‘t know if there’s anything you can do.” 

“Blaine, I don’t want to go.” His voice cracked and tears stung at his eyes. “I’m really scared.”

Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt and pulled him to him, rubbing his arm soothingly. He thought of the stories he had heard of people who were given to witches. They were kept as servants at best, slaves at worst. It was a terrifying job where the person was kept in a dark room with little food and shelter and forced to do the witch’s bidding. Most didn’t last more than half the year. He tightened his arms around Kurt as if he could keep him there by holding on tightly enough.

“Will you stay with me until the end?” Kurt whispered and Blaine nodded.

“Of course I will.”

* * *

The king had placed guards all around the castle, at every entrance, along the walls, and outside Kurt’s room. Inside Kurt’s room, however, was only Blaine. Kurt had refused to let anyone else in, even his father. He didn’t care if he would regret it later, at the moment he was angry and he wasn’t going to give in.

“You can sit down, you know.”

Blaine was standing vigil at the window, refusing to move for fear of missing something. He looked back at Kurt who was sitting on his bed looking at Blaine expectantly.

“Sorry. I’m being lousy company, I know.”

“It’s hard to be good company tonight.”

Blaine sat down on the bed and took hold of Kurt’s hand. 

“Oh! I guess now would be a good time to give you your birthday present.”

He pulled a small package out of his coat and handed it to Kurt. Kurt bounced excitedly and unwrapped it, staring at the box in shock. It was a small pendant with a dragon carved into it on a silver chain.

“I remember you saying something about not having the right accessory to go with your outfits and I figured that if you couldn’t find the right one then I would just have to make it for you.”

“Blaine, it’s beautiful. Here, put it on me.” He handed the pendant to Blaine and turned around. “How does it look.” He turned back around and threw his arms out in a flourish.

“Well, it matches your bedclothes beautifully.”

Kurt swatted at his arm and laughed, playing with the pendant.

“I love it.”

“I told you you would.”

Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine, pulling him in for a kiss. He pulled back and rested his forehead against Blaine’s.

“I’m going to miss you the most.”

Blaine didn’t know what to say to that, didn’t know how to say everything he was feeling. That he didn’t want Kurt to go. That he loved him more than anyone and anything in the world. That he would do anything and everything to get him back, no matter what it took. So he just kissed him again, hoping he could at least convey his feelings that way.

The two jumped apart at the sound of the first chime of midnight.

Kurt looked at Blaine with frightened eyes and Blaine wrapped his arm around him protectively. The sound of the last chime hung in the air and Kurt’s heart rate sped up in anticipation of what was coming. It was a lot less dramatic than he would’ve expected. No bursting through the doors or breaking down the walls surrounding the castle grounds. Just a slight gust of wind blowing the window open and then there was a woman standing in front of them. 

“So, which of you will be going with me?” She observed the pair curiously. “Oh, I know.” She took a step toward Kurt. “You’re just as pale as you were then. I thought it was the illness.”

Blaine moved so he was in front of Kurt.

“That must make you the little servant boy. Well, you grew up nicely.”

“You can’t have him,” Blaine found himself suddenly saying. He didn’t care what kind of deal the king had made. He wasn’t going to let this woman take Kurt away. It wasn’t right.

The woman cackled loudly, the sound reverberating off the walls.

“And what makes you think that you can control that?”

“I’ll do anything you want. Just let him stay here.”

She considered this for a few seconds before the door to Kurt’s bedchamber burst open and the king entered with what appeared to be the entire kings guard behind him.

“Why, hello, King Burt. I wondered where you were. Here to send your son off?”

“You’re not taking him, Terri.”

“That seems to be what this boy is under the impression of.” She walked back over to Blaine. “In fact, I believe he was just about to make a deal of some--”

“No deals. We’re done here.”

Anger flashed in her eyes.

“That’s not how it works. I gave you what you wanted now you give me what I want. Or offer me something better.”

“No. Get out.”

Blaine had never seen the king so furious and he feared what the witch would do to him for refusing her.

“Fine.” She made her way to the window before turning around. “Last chance. Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

The room remained silent and she scoffed before disappearing.

“I can’t believe that worked,” Kurt breathed and his father rushed across the room to envelope him in a hug as he cried apologies to him. Kurt broke down shortly after and the two cried in each other’s arms.

“And thank you,” Burt said, turning to clam Blaine on the shoulder, “For protecting my son.”

Blaine smiled and accepted the thank you, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that nothing had been fixed. He knew from stories growing up that you don’t cross witches. He was terrified of finding out what their punishment would be.

* * *

Everyone was in high spirits as they celebrated Kurt’s birthday the next day. Kurt had told his father of his intentions to marry Blaine and the council members he was with at the time agreed that he would make a fine choice and they couldn’t wait to make the announcement. There was even talk of making Blaine a knight. It was everything he had wanted and yet he still couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding.

“Why so glum?”

Blaine jumped and almost dropped his glass.

“You’ve got to get better at that,” Kurt giggled.

“Sorry. So, I heard you told father about us.”

“Yeah. He’s really excited about it.”

“So is my mother.”

“And your father?”

“More excited about the knighthood.”

Kurt nodded understandingly and slipped his arm through Blaine’s and they began walking around the floor.

“Do you think it would be improper for me to slip away from my own birthday festivities?” He stopped and held his hand to his head.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, sorry. I just got a little dizzy for a minute. I guess I shouldn’t have had that glass of wine.” He laughed faintly but Blaine wasn’t eased. He turned to face Blaine fully. “Blaine, I’m fine. I just…”

Whatever he was going to say Blaine never found out as he pitched forward, passing out.

“Kurt!” Blaine caught him before he could hit the ground and yelled for help.

* * *

Kurt’s illness had returned. It seemed to be affecting him at an accelerated rate. No one could figure out what had spawned the illness’s return but Blaine had an idea.

“I’m going to find the witch,” he told Kurt as he held his hand.

“You’re going to what?” Blaine hated how weak Kurt sounded and how fragile he looked. Like he could break at the slightest movement.

“I’m going to find the witch. And I’m going to make her heal you.”

“You can’t do that.”

“If she made you better once she can do it again.”

“And remember what happened last time?”

“I won’t let her take you, I’ll offer her anything else.” Kurt remained silent. “I’m not going to let you die.”

“You promised you would stay with me until the end.”

“And I will. But that end isn’t going to be for a very long time.”

Kurt smiled faintly and Blaine kissed his hand before setting it back on the bed. He wasn’t going to fail him. He couldn’t.


	2. Chapter 2

Blaine had never ventured very far beyond the castle grounds before. He had run various errands his mother sent him on and to escort Kurt on his visits to the marketplace, but never had he gone so far away that he could no longer see the castle’s turrets. 

He had been traveling for two days when he began to doubt if he was heading in the right direction or not. Everything around him looked the same. It was far from the terrifying dark hole of dangers his mother had lead him to believe when he was younger. There were no ravenous hidden creatures around every bend or hungry eyes staring at him from the shadows. It was like the forest closer to home. No more or less dangerous, just forest. 

So he blamed it on bad luck and not the dangers of the outside world when a dark body crashed into his own, sending him flying to the ground where he spilled his bag and dropped his sword. Kurt was right, he really needed to pay better attention to his surroundings.

“Empty the bag and turn out your pockets!” a rough voice said and Blaine realized he had been attacked by dark-skinned woman who was now holding a sword in his face. 

“I don’t have anything of value,” he tried to reason. He had just packed some food for the journey and a cloak for when it got cold.

“I’ll be the judge of that! Empty it!”

Blaine dumped out the rest of the bag contents on the grass. 

“See?”

“And your pockets?”

Blaine turned them out, showing nothing but the flower Kurt had given him that he refused to get rid of. 

“So what’s a servant of the king doing walking through the woods with a bag of food and no gold on him?”

“What makes you say I’m a servant of the king?”

“Your clothes. My father used to work for the king and he wore the same outfit.”

“If your father worked for the king why are you out here robbing stray travelers?”

She ignored him and rifled through the stuff he had dumped out of his bag a bit and grabbed an apple, biting in to it.

“If you’re going to eat my food, could you at least tell me your name?” He wondered if maybe he knew her father and could use that to his advantage. This was slowing him down and he needed to keep moving on.

“You never answered my question.”

“You haven’t answered either of my questions.”

“I asked mine first.”

Blaine stared her down, refusing to budge.

“Santana.”

Well, that didn’t help. She didn’t give him her last name. But Blaine figured he wouldn’t get it out of her and didn’t want to make her angry.

“I’m Blaine.” He held his hand out for a handshake and she just stared at him expectantly. “I’m trying to find the witch’s cottage.”

“Which one?”

“The one northeast of here near the great waterfall and behind the grove with the orange flowers,” Blaine repeated the directions the knight who had first found the witch had given him.

Santana laughed.

“Good luck with that. You couldn’t have picked an easier one to find?”

“I need to find this one.”

“She won’t be of any help to you. The only way she’ll give you something is if she can get something in return.” She said the last part bitterly and Blaine wondered if she had experience.

“Have you been to her then? Could you give me directions? I’m a little lost and the directions I was given were pretty vague.”

“I saw her once. She proved unhelpful. Find someone else.”

“I need this one.”

The woman glanced down at the flower Blaine was still holding.

“Who’s the girl?”

“What makes you think there’s a girl involved?”

“Alright, then, who’s the boy?”

“Why does there have to be anyone?”

“Because why else would you be traveling through the forest by yourself with nothing but a bag of food and a sword looking for a witch?”

Blaine said nothing and Santana seemed to think something over.

“You know, on second thought maybe I will give you directions to that witch’s cottage. But first you have to do something for me.”

Blaine eyed her suspiciously.

“What do you want?”

“You see that mountain over there? It’s not as far as it looks, about a day’s journey. At the foot of that mountain on the left-hand side there is an inlet with a cottage. You can find the area easily by the smoke wafting away from it from the dragon.”

Blaine gaped at her.

“What…You want me to kill a dragon?”

“No!” she snapped and Blaine jumped back in shock, “I want you to enter the cottage and find the man who lives there.”

“…And kill him?” Blaine wasn’t sure he could bring himself to kill a man he didn’t know who hadn’t wronged him.

“You can if you want, I don’t care. I just want you to bring me his right hand.”

“His right hand?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Why are you asking so many questions? Do you want the directions or not?”

“I just don’t see why I should go maim a man who’s never done anything wrong.”

“And how do you know he hasn’t done anything wrong?”

“Because if he had then why haven’t you had the king do something about it?”

She laughed again.

“You really don’t understand how things work out here, do you? This area is way too far for the king’s law to reach it. Out here the way of the land is everyone for himself.”

“And your vigilante justice is taking this man’s hand?”

“The man has a ring that he wears on his right hand. It possesses magical powers and I want it. So if you can find a way to get it off him without chopping the hand off, have at it. Bring it to me and I’ll give you the directions. Hell, I’ll even give you the ring after I use it.”

“Why can’t you get it yourself?”

“Because he knows me. He’d see me coming a mile away and I would be done for.”

Figuring asking more questions would just agitate her, Blaine looked back at the mountain.

“A day’s journey?”

She nodded. He wasn’t sure if he had enough time. But how much time would he waste wondering around and trying to find the way on his own?

“Alright.”

He bent down to gather the spilled food back into his bag.

“And one more thing,” Santana said, causing Blaine to pause, “You harm that dragon and I’ll chop your head off.”

* * *

Blaine had no idea how he was supposed to get passed a dragon and into a cottage where he would chop off a man’s hand before leaving the house and heading back to the clearing where Santana told him to meet her without harming the dragon or getting himself killed. 

He approached the area at the base of the mountain, heart hammering in his throat as he eyed the cave with smoke drifting out of it. He had decided to keep his sword sheathed in the hope that it would make him seem less threatening. There was a rustling to his left and he rested his hand on the hilt, just in case. He watched as some rocks were knocked down the edge of the mountain around the cave. The dragon was smaller than Blaine was expecting but still much larger than him. It had golden scales with a blue ridge down its back and to the end of its tale. It began walking toward Blaine, growling and blowing smoke out of its nostrils. He backed away toward the wood, Santana’s warning fresh in his mind.

His head snapped to the right at the sound of a door slamming open and he saw a man run at the dragon yelling at it.

“Back!” he yelled and he cracked a whip viciously at the dragon’s back and it cried out, “You useless creature! You’re supposed to keep threats away! Can you not tell the difference between a threat and a traveler?” He continued to whip the dragon, driving it back into the cave.

Blaine stared in horror as the dragon cried pitifully and curled in on itself inside the cave. The man turned to Blaine and instantly became friendlier.

“Hello. I’m so sorry about that, she’s a new acquirement. Not exactly the best at determining dangers. My name’s Will,” he held out his hand for Blaine to shake and he took it reluctantly.

“Blaine. This is an interesting home you have here.”

“Yeah. It’s nice and quiet but the seclusion makes it a little lonely at times. How about you step in for some tea?”

Before Blaine could respond the man wrapped his arm around his back and began steering him inside the cottage.

It was a simple set-up inside. Just one room with sparse furniture. Blaine took a seat at the table while Will poured him some tea.

“Oh, I’m fine. I don’t--”

“Nonsense! It’s good for you.” He thrust the cup into Blaine’s hand and poured himself a cup. Blaine stared into the liquid, not trusting it. 

“So, how is it?” the man asked as he sat in the chair on the other side of the table.

“Delicious,” Blaine lied, “I’ve never quite had anything like it before.”

“It’s a secret recipe.” He winked and took a sip of his tee. It was then that Blaine noticed the ring on his finger as it caught the light. He wondered if there was a way to convince him to give it to him peacefully. “So, where are you headed?”

“Uh…Grandmother’s house.”

“How nice. Where does she live?”

“Grover’s Field.” It was the closest town Blaine could think of that he could conceivably be headed toward.

“That’s a long way from here. You should find the river and follow it down. Much faster route.”

“Thanks.” That route would make the time to get to Grover’s Field almost double. But Blaine figured playing nice was in his best interests and didn’t point this out.

They continue to talk for what felt like hours and Blaine couldn’t find a way to bring up the ring without drawing suspicion to it. Throughout the conversation he would spill bits of his tea on to the ground to make it appear like he had been drinking it. Will told him tales of the “glory days” of when he worked for the king (Blaine wasn’t sure how much he believed his stories considering he spoke of a drastically inaccurate layout of the castle and never once commented on Blaine’s clothes.) and continued to give Blaine advice for things he had never and would never need.

“Well, it looks like it might be dusk soon.” Had they really been talking for that long? “Are you going to be staying the night?”

“Oh. No, thank you. I really should be going.” He stood up desperately wracking his brain for ideas.

“Alright, then. That will be six pieces.”

“I’m sorry?”

“That will be six pieces of gold.”

“For what?”

“Tea, advice, company, a sheltered place to rest.”

“…But I didn’t ask for any of that. You forced the tea on me.”

“You drank it all.”

“Actually, I spilled it on the floor when you weren’t looking,” he admitted sheepishly. 

The man began to get angry.

“Do you not have the money to pay?”

“I shouldn’t have to pay for things I never wanted.”

“You wandered on to my property and would have been killed by my dragon had I not intervened and now you’re trying to rob me?”

“Rob you of what? Some boiled water and bad advice?”

That seemed to be the last straw and the man grabbed a sword from behind the door.

“If you’re not going to pay that I’m afraid we’ll have to settle this some other way. Until then, I am not letting you leave.”

This was ridiculous. Blaine drew his own sword, making sure to modify his form the way Kurt had told him to. 

Will had, apparently, not noticed the sword before Blaine pulled it out and looked worried for a moment. Blaine took a step around the table and the man lunged at him, swinging the sword out. He blocked it easily and sent Will back a few steps. It looked like there was no getting the ring away from him peacefully. 

Will took another swipe at him and Blaine managed to block it, getting in a jab of his own. He really didn’t want to kill this man but if it got down to between the two of them Blaine would really rather not die. Will made one crucial mistake, jabbing too soon and Blaine dismantled him, sending the sword clattering to the ground. 

“You really shouldn’t have done that,” he hissed and reached his left hand up to touch the ring. 

Blaine wasn’t sure what he was going to do but he was sure it wouldn’t be good. Not knowing what else to do he brought the sword down on the man’s hand, cutting it clean off. The man let out a scream that was soon drowned out by a roar from outside the house. A flash of fear entered his eyes and he exited the cottage, running out into the woods.

Blaine steeled himself and picked the hand up off the floor, removing the ring. He dropped the hand and exited the cottage where he saw the dragon blowing fire into the woods.

“Don’t do that!” Blaine yelled before he could stop himself. The dragon turned to him. “You’ll burn the forest down.”

And now he was reasoning with a dragon.

The dragon began walking toward him and he prepared himself to run as fast he could back into the woods. He was wondering if he could lose the dragon amongst the trees when it reached him. It took him by surprise by nuzzling it’s face into his chest, sending him falling backward.

The dragon made a noise and moved as if to help him and he held his hands up.

“I’m fine. I can get up on my own.” The last thing he needed now was to be crushed by a helpful dragon. “Well, I guess you’re free now. I wish I could do something about those wounds but I don’t have any bandages on me. Will they heal alright on their own?”

The dragon continued to stare at him and he figured it was a lost cause so he headed toward the woods to meet Santana. Surprisingly, the dragon followed him.

* * *

Blaine wasn’t sure what he thought Santana’s reaction would be when he showed up with a dragon in tow but he certainly wasn’t expecting her to hop down from the rock she was seated on and throw herself at it, wrapping her arms around its muzzle and giving it a quick kiss.

“Where’s the ring?”

Blaine handed it to her and she slipped it on before turning it a few times and muttering under her breath.

“You know how to use that?”

“Just the one spell.”

A huge grin spread across her face and she ran to where the dragon had been. Where there now stood a small blond woman. Santana embraced the girl, picking her up and twirling her. Blaine could hear them laughing.

“Come here, let me take care of those,” she said, leading the girl to sit on the rock, “What did that man do to you?”

“He whipped me for failing to recognize what counts as an intruder and what doesn’t,” she said in a small voice, “Apparently, the difference is an intruder isn’t attractive.” She flashed a smile at Blaine and he tentatively returned it. 

“That’s Blaine,” Santana said as she wrapped a bandage around the girl’s arm, “This is Brittany.”

“What happened?” Blaine asked, wondering if he would get an answer this time.

“We were traveling through the forest when we came upon his house. He invited us in, acting all friendly. I thought he was far too friendly to be trusted but Brittany felt bad for him being all alone out there so we indulged him. Then after he had us there for hours going on and on with all these stories--”

“I liked his stories,” Brittany remarked.

“He was so full of it, Brit.”

“They were still nice to listen to.”

“They weren’t even interesting. Anyway, we finally find an excuse to leave and he--”

“Demands payment for his time?”

“Yes! Of course, Brit and I didn’t have anything on us. We’re barely getting by just living in the woods, where were we going to get money? So he tells us to pay in other ways. Of course, every other way he suggested made me want to split him open so instead he turned Brit into his own personal guard and forced her to attempt to roast me on sight.”

“I’m sorry about that.”

Santana kissed her gently on the cheek.

“Don’t worry about it.” Blaine noticed that while her tone was much lighter now than it had been earlier, it became much softer when speaking with Brittany. “So I went to that witch. She proved unhelpful and on the way back I passed this fancy looking carriage. I figured someone with a carriage that nice must be doing alright for themselves and wouldn’t miss a few gold coins so I robbed them. But when I returned the man refused my payment, saying it was too late so I decided I would just gather enough gold that there was no way he could refuse me.”

A dark look crossed her face and Brittany wrapped her arms around her, pulling her to her for a kiss.

“Everything’s fine now.”

Santana smiled.

“That’s right. What happened to the man?”

“I chased him into the woods. Breathing fire was pretty cool.”

Santana laughed and sat down next to her, wrapping her arm around her waist.

“So, the witch,” she said to Blaine, “You’re going to head northeast like you were doing but make sure you actually stay northeast, you veered a little. There’s this green mountain range you can see once you get about half a mile down, just make sure you’re heading toward that. You’re going to come across a large oak tree with designs carved into it. Veer right after that and you’ll come across a bride. Cross that bridge and go straight. You’ll pass through a marsh and be careful, there are some tricky things in there. And then you’ll be at the witch’s cottage.”

“Thank you so much.”

“And thank you.” She pulled Brittany closer to her and the girl rested her head on her shoulder. “Oh, wait! Here.” Santana took the ring off and tossed it to Blaine. “I wont’ be needing that anymore.”

“Thank you.“ Blaine wasn’t sure what use he would have for the ring since he had no idea how to use it but he put it on his finger to ensure he wouldn’t lose it, just in case.

He smiled at the ladies and gave a small wave before heading back into the forest.

* * *

The journey took less time than Blaine was expecting and he arrived at the bridge after only two days’ worth of travel. It appeared to be very old but sturdy, made out of heavy stones with ornate carvings in them. 

“You stop right there!” a voice screeched as he went to take a step on the bridge. A troll appeared from under it and began moving toward him. He pulled out his sword.

“This is my bridge and I will not have people stomping across it and making noise! Now you run along and leave me alone.”

“….What?” The troll was angry at people making noise? That wasn’t how the trolls acted in the stories Blaine was told. They were devious, evil creatures that had to be fought. 

“I can’t get any sleep at home so I come here to sleep under this bridge and then you people come charging across it making all this noise and waking me up and I won’t allow it.”

“But you’re already up. Can’t you just let me cross now?”

“If I do that then everyone will think they can cross and I’ll never get any sleep.”

Blaine looked around him. The place was fairly deserted. There wasn’t even a path leading to or away from the bridge. It was just a bridge plopped down in the middle of the forest. It didn’t look like reasoning on that matter would work, though. He decided to try a different approach.

“Why can’t you get any sleep at home?”

“My kids.”

“Your kids?”

“Yes. They run around the house at all hours of the night and day screaming and fighting and not letting me sleep. So when I get tired I leave my husband in charge of them and come out here to nap.”

“They don’t sleep?”

“Oh, no, they sleep. Just not all at the same time.”

Maybe if Blaine could help her get her children to sleep he could get across the bridge.

“Have you tried singing them a lullaby?”

“It made them scream louder.”

“Warm milk?”

“Can’t stomach it.”

“A bedtime story?”

“A what?”

“A bedtime story? Tell them a story and they fall asleep. Mentally going through an adventure tires them out so their minds can fall asleep more easily.”

She thought that over.

“A story like what?”

Blaine quickly told her a story Kurt had particularly enjoyed when they were kids about a man whose wife had been turned into a butterfly. He had to go on a journey through a valley to find an enchanted flower that would change her back. The troll was entranced.

“That’s a good story…But I could never tell it to them like that. How about you come with me and tell them for me?”

That didn’t sound like a good idea at all.

“I have to be getting somewhere.”

“I’ll tell you what, you come and tell my kids that story and if they fall asleep I’ll let you cross the bridge.”

It didn’t look like there was any other way he was getting across, so Blaine reluctantly agreed.

* * *

Blaine followed the troll into a dark cave. He tried to memorize the turns they made so he could make his way out on his own if need-be. Soon Blaine began to hear screaming. Not screams of terror or pain, but the loud screams of someone causing a raucous. The screams only got louder as they turned a corner and entered a dimly lit room with living area furniture in it. All the furniture was made of stone. There were several different caverns leading off from the room. A small troll-child went running in from one of them, through the room, and out another.

“Phil!” the troll shouted, “Where are you?”

A defeated-looking troll appeared.

“Kendra!” he exclaimed, “You’re home!”

“Why aren’t you getting the kids ready for bed?”

“I tried but they won’t stay in one place. I’ve been trying to tie them down.”

Blaine couldn’t believe the callous the two used when speaking of their children. Kendra rolled her eyes and walked over to one of the caverns.

“Kids! Get in here!” she shouted so loudly Blaine feared his ears might begin bleeding.

In an instant three troll-children appeared, each taking a seat on the couch. Where they promptly began to poke and kick at each other.

“That is enough!” The boys stopped momentarily. “Now, I brought you boys a present. This is Blaine and he’s going to tell you boys a story.” She turned to Blaine. “Go on, tell them a bedtime story.”

“But they’re not in bed.”

“Tell them the story,” she said through gritted teeth.

Blaine repeated the story to the boys, using various arm movements and embellishments that the children at home used to enjoy. The boys loved it and by the end of the story had all drifted off to sleep.

“Unbelievable,” Phil marveled.

“Can I go now?” Blaine asked.

The trolls exchanged a look.

“We were hoping you might stay a little longer,” Kendra said, “Maybe have some food or drink as a token of our gratitude?”

Blaine was not going through that again.

“No, thank you. Passage across the bridge is thank you enough.”

He hadn’t noticed Phil leave the room so he was caught by surprise when the troll tossed a handful of what looked like dust into his face. He sneezed twice and then passed out.

* * *

“Kyle, you have to take your bath or no story,” Blaine said, trying to coax the final child into the tub. He had managed to get the other two clean with a similar bribe but Kyle was proving to be especially stubborn.

“But I hate getting wet.”

“And, yet, you have no problem swimming down at the lake.”

There was a lake in the caves not too far from where the family lived and the boys loved to go swimming there so Blaine spent most of his time with the boys there, making sure they don’t disappear into the darkness. Blaine spent the rest of his time fussing with the boys and getting them into bed. He felt like he spent his entire life fighting with those kids.

Kyle made a dissatisfied noise and kicked at the wall, dislodging some rock debris. Great. More mess for Blaine to clean up after the kids fell asleep. 

“Blaine.” Kendra showed up with a bag in her hand. “I noticed that outfit of yours was getting dirty, so I got you some new ones.” She quickly searched through the bag. “I don’t know if they’ll fit you, but at least they’re clean.”

“Thank you, Kendra.” Blaine didn’t know where she got the clothes from but he didn’t ask. He never did. Kendra and Phil were kind enough to let him live in their home. It would be impolite for him to pose questions. “Kyle, you better be done with that bath when I come back!” he shouted and walked to his room.

He was glad Kendra had gotten him new clothes. The ones he was wearing had some tears in them and were covered in dirt, even before Kyle’s temper tantrum. Blaine was so spacey and never remembered half the things he did so he wasn’t sure what caused them. He stripped the top shirt off and went to toss it aside when he noticed something fall out of it. He bent down to pick it up and carried it over to the small candle on his bedside table.

It was a flower. It was a purple wildflower and had begun to wilt, with some of the petals browning around the edges. A few had even fallen off. Where had that come from? Flowers didn’t grow in the cave. 

He moved to set the flower on his bedside table and suddenly he wasn’t in the cave anymore. He was outside. Blaine couldn’t remember the last time he had been outside, he was too happy in the cave. He was sitting against a rock, staring out over a valley full of wildflowers that blew in the wind. There was someone next to him. He was talking but Blaine couldn’t make out the words, all he could focus on was the purple flower he was playing with. The man reached up and placed the flower behind Blaine’s ear before leaning in to kiss him.

Blaine dropped the flower. Kurt. How could he have forgotten him? He had to go to the witch’s cottage to get a cure for him! How long had he been in this accursed cave? It didn’t matter, he had to get out. He threw his shirt back on and returned the flower to its resting place.

He had just made it to the living area when he realized he didn’t have his sword. What had they done with it?

“Blaine.” Blaine froze as Kendra approached him. He had been caught, now he was never getting out of here. “What are you still doing in those clothes? Did they not fit you?”

Blaine had to force himself not to let out a sigh of relief. Kendra hadn’t realized anything was off. She still thought he was her little housepet. 

“Yes…But some of them were a little snug so I came looking for something sharp to cut them with.”

“I have just the thing.” She disappeared into the cavern and returned with Blaine’s sword.

“Thank you,” he said kindly, trying his hardest to appear docile.

“No problem, honey.” She disappeared back into the cavern. “Now, put the kids to bed. Their stomping around is starting to give me a headache.”

The second she was out of view Blaine hurried out the main cavern he had entered through. Fortunately he managed to find his way out without getting too lost, having remembered most of the directions from when he entered. He had never been so excited to see sunlight before.

* * *

Blaine refused to stop and rest not sure how much time he had lost in the caves. Who knew how much time he had left? Or if he had any time at all. That thought made him quicken his pace. 

He reached the marsh as dusk was starting to settle and it gave the area an eerie glow as a light fog began to form. The fog got thicker the farther into the marsh Blaine traveled. This was far closer to the depiction his mother had given him of the forest beyond the castle grounds. 

There was a rustling noise behind him and he quickly turned, holding his sword out. There didn’t appear to be anything there and he turned back around where he almost walked straight into a man. He jumped back a few steps and held is sword out.

“Who are you?” he asked, not wanting to take his chances with a stranger in this place.

“I have many names,” he answered mysteriously, eyeing Blaine up and down. Blaine didn’t like it. He walked around the man and continued on his way, but he appeared in front of him again. The man was taller than Blaine and slender with dark, sneaky eyes.

“What do you want?”

“You.” He took a step toward Blaine and moved to place his hand on his shoulder but Blaine moved out of the way. He laughed. “What’s the matter? A pretty guy like you traveling alone. You should take a break to…relax.” he reached out again and rubbed his hand down Blaine’s arm. Blaine batted it away.

“I have a betrothed.” He went around the man and continued walking, on the alert for if he decided to pop up by him again.

“Do you mean the dead one?”

Blaine stopped and whipped around. The man smirked at him.

“You’re lying,” Blaine determined and proceeded making his way through the marsh.

The man reappeared by his side.

“Maybe I am, but he might as well be by the looks of things.”

“He’s going to be fine.”

“But, think about this. Is it really worth it?”

Blaine stopped walking to glare at the man.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Think about it. The son of a servant marrying the only child of the kingdom’s ruler. There’s obviously a huge gap there.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t? And how well has the relationship been going so far? Hmm?” 

He wrapped his arm around Blaine’s shoulder and directed him to look down into the waters beside them. An image had appeared in them and Blaine recognized it as himself and Kurt as children. The two were playing out some story Blaine had invented for him. He wasn’t sure which one. 

“Ever since you two first became friends it’s always been all about him, hasn’t it? You had to play the games he wanted to play and go where he wanted to go. He was always the hero while you played the sidekick or the villain or the victim.”

As he spoke Blaine watched in the water as his younger self was “stabbed” by younger Kurt’s stick-sword. Blaine shook the man’s arm away from around his shoulders.

“No, that’s not true. We worked together most of the time and sometimes he played the other character.”

The image in the water changed to the two of them when they were a little older. This image was split with Kurt sitting at a desk studying on one side and Blaine cleaning out the stables on the other.

“Then you got older and the truth became more apparent about who you both are. Kurt is just so much better than you, isn’t he?” he posed sarcastically, “And he makes sure you never forget it. He’s the prince and you’re the servant. He’s always buying things for you as if you can’t get them yourself and offering to have things taken care of that you didn’t want to do. Showing how much more power he had than you.”

It changed to that day in the stables when Kurt had surprised Blaine into dropping his sword in the stables.

“He always makes fun of you. Laughing at your failures and looking down on you because you didn’t have the same abilities as him. Always bringing up his ‘princely duties.’”

Now it showed a day from several years ago when Blaine had invited Kurt to go swimming with him only to be turned down because Kurt had some royal outing he had to attend with his father.

“You think he asked for your hand because he loves you? He did it because he knows you’re infatuated with him and he thinks you’re his only chance at having someone. Especially someone he thinks won’t outshine him.”

“No, you’re lying. He loves me and he would never think he’s above me. He would never think he’s above anybody.”

“He thinks he’s above everyone. He’s a selfish person who only cares about his own needs and what he can get from others.”

“You don’t know him and you’re wrong. He would let anyone join are games regardless of who they were or were they came from. When Mercedes, the girl who works in the garden, got sick he made her soup by himself to help her get better. He always tries his best to be there for everyone and while he’s not perfect he is still the most kind, caring person I have ever met and if you think I’m going to betray him because of your lies then you clearly don’t know anything about me either.”

“Then I guess we’ll have to try a different approach.” The man’s eyes glowed red and he made a grab for Blaine’s arm. Blaine instinctively shoved the man back, away from him and he went tumbling into the image in the water beneath them. He let out a tremendous shriek as the water shifted and changed around him before he was dragged to the bottom. Then everything went still.

He stepped away from the water but couldn’t take his eyes away, fearing he would reappear and attack. When nothing happened for several minutes he decided he must be gone and began heading for the way out of the marsh.

* * *

Finding the witch’s cottage ended up being the easiest part of the journey. Blaine had only been walking for several minutes after exiting the marsh when he saw it, set back in a rock formation against a hill. He thought over what he had prepared to say for what felt like the millionth time and knocked on the door. It opened a crack and Blaine took that as permission to enter.

“Can I help you?” a voice called from the corner and he felt a flare of rage. How dare this woman be so casual when an innocent man lay dying at her hands?

“I’ve come to make a request.”

She glanced up from the cauldron she was working on and smiled.

“Oh, hello, there. Little servant boy all grown up.” She walked around the cauldron to get closer to Blaine. “To what do I owe this visit?”

“I want to you cure Kurt.”

“Well, then you should have brought him with you.”

“I’m not fulfilling the king’s deal with you. I want to make a new deal. One where Kurt can be cured and free.”

“That’s not likely to happen, honey.”

“Please. I’ll give you anything.”

“I want the prince.”

“I said anything. Kurt‘s a person.”

“Then no deal. Sorry.”

She went to turn from him and Blaine grabbed her arm to turn her back, desperate to make her listen to him. Before he could speak however, she lot at an indignant shriek.

“What is that on your finger?!”

He glanced down and saw that he was still wearing the ring he had taken from the man at the mountain.

“That’s mine! Give it to me!”

“This…is yours?”

“Yes. It was stolen from me by a lover I once had. Give it to me!”

“Alright, I’ll give it to you. If you cure Kurt’s illness.”

She scoffed at him.

“I am not going to give you something in exchange for something that’s mine.”

“You keep saying it’s yours and, yet, it remains in my possession. I’d say that makes it mine.”

She stared at him for a long moment before laughing loudly.

“I like you. Alright, I’ll make you a deal. I will heal your precious little prince in exchange for that ring and you do something else for me.”

She walked back to her cauldron and emptied it before filling it back up and adding various ingredients to it. Blaine considered her offer.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Well, I was promised a human being and I will have a human being so you will give one to me.”

“And how am I to do that?” 

She reached into the cauldron and pulled out what appeared to be a biscuit.

“That is where I am being overly generous, child. You get to choose who it will be.”

Blaine stared at her blankly.

“I get to choose?”

“Yes. Give this to whomever it is that you choose. The moment the person eats it they will be transferred here to be mine and your prince’s ailment will be a thing of the past. Again. Now, my ring?” 

She held her hand out expectantly and Blaine placed it gently on her palm.

“Pleasure doing business with you.” 

She returned to her cauldron and Blaine took that as his cue to leave. 

He set out for home thinking over who he would give it to. There was a girl who worked in the market place that always made rude comments to Kurt as they walked by. She felt the next ruler of the kingdom should be someone bigger and tougher looking. Or he could give it to the boy who always used to pick on and tease them when they were younger for playing their adventure games instead of fighting like the rest of them. One time he had even torn the props Kurt had worked so hard to make. He wasn’t much better now, always give them dirty looks the few times they came across each other.

But he couldn’t do that to them. His mind wandered to the stories he had heard and of the terror on Kurt’s face when he spoke of having to go. How could he knowingly do that to another person? To their families and the people that cared for them? He could just leave it out for someone to eat on their own and not actively choose someone. But that would be even worse. It would be reckless, what if a child ate it?

He stared at the biscuit and thought of the last time he had seen Kurt. He looked so frail and innocent. Blaine couldn’t let him die. But he couldn’t damn an innocent person either. He realized that that was the last time he would ever see Kurt. He was going to end up breaking that promise, but maybe he could find a way. After all, the end was a very, very long way off. He had time to figure something out. 

He bit into the biscuit.

* * *

Blaine blinked his eyes opened and stared up at the sky. Where was he? And why was he on the ground? All at once everything hit him. Kurt had been ill and he set off to find the witch to cure him. He remembered the mugger and her cursed lover, the mad man, the trolls with the parenting problems, the marsh, and the witch--the witch! Where was she? Blaine had eaten the biscuit so he was hers now. Why wasn’t she screaming at him to stop sleeping in the yard?

He sat up and looked around him. He wasn’t in the witch’s yard. He was on the castle grounds. Without waiting another moment he jumped to his feet and raced into the castle. He wasn’t with the witch. She hadn’t received her payment. Did that mean Kurt was still ill? He had to make sure.

He passed several people on the way to Kurt’s room but couldn’t stop to respond to their calls. He didn’t stop running until he had made it through Kurt’s door, breathing heavily and clutching a stitch in his side. 

Kurt looked very much the same as when he had left. He was laying on his back asleep with his hands folded over his abdomen. Blaine couldn’t tell if he was any better or not. He remembered that he hadn’t gotten better right away when they were children, it had been a gradual process. He gently took Kurt’s hand in his and sat next to him before kissing him gently on the forehead. His eyes opened slowly and he smiled when he saw Blaine was there.

“You’re back.” His voice sounded rough and he cleared his throat. Blaine poured him some water from the pitcher on his bedside table and he helped Kurt drink some. “Thank you.” 

They sat in silence for a few moments just drinking each other in, unable to take their eyes off each other. 

“You did it,” Kurt finally said and Blaine could see the pride shining in his eyes.

“I did?” Blaine felt like his elation would cause him to float to the ceiling.

“My fever broke this morning. I had faith you would.” He leaned in and whispered “But I think Michael might have had some doubts.” He laughed and Blaine joined him. “Tina told me that after you left he was worried about you. He said you should’ve told him and he would’ve gone with you.”

“I couldn’t do that to him. I couldn’t ask him to join me on a dangerous quest I gave myself.”

Kurt hummed and leaned his head against Blaine’s shoulder.

“How did you do it?” he finally asked and Blaine told him the tale in vivid detail. Just like when they were growing up. Except this time the story was real.

“You’re too good, you know,” Kurt yawned when Blaine had finished.

“What do you mean?”

“For the witch. That’s why you’re back here. You’re too good. That’s how it is in the stories, at least.”

“But, Kurt, those are stories.”

“Then how do you explain your presence here?”

Kurt had him there. He nestled back in to Blaine’s side and Blaine wrapped his arms around him, running his hands through his hair gently. He kissed Kurt’s forehead and murmured “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

* * *

Kurt was well by the end of the month and the kingdom was overjoyed to have their prince back in good health. A party was thrown, even larger than the one for his birthday. It was a loud and festive gathering but Kurt and Blaine ended up sneaking out into the garden shortly after its start. They preferred to spend their time in each other’s company, having been denied it for far too long. 

Blaine received an honorary knighthood but he wasn’t able to actively serve on the king’s guard. Princes weren’t allowed to serve on the king’s guard. He was more than happy to give it up. When Kurt had pointed out that it had been his dream he simply replied that he had a better one now. He had had his adventure and now it was time to start a new one with the man he loved more than life itself.


End file.
